The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration held a hearing this morning to consider the nominations of Ann Miller Ravel and Lee E. Goodman to serve as Members of the Federal Election Commission. It was smooth sailing for the nominees, with Members of Congress and nominees alike lamenting the current state of affairs and agreeing to work for a better future. Hard questions were averted or deflected and points of agreement emphasized. Specifically, nominees Goodman and Ravel agreed to withhold judgment on amendments to the enforcement manual until they learned more, and Mr. Goodman noted that they shared a sense the agency could do more with its website to inform the public. There were appropriate comments of respect for the First Amendment, the will of Congress, and the need for the law to be fairly and faithfully executed.
The hearing was everything a “noncontroversial” nominee could hope for.
One interesting note: Senators Schumer and Cochran expressed bi-partisan support for electronic filings of Senate reports.